3 Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry by DaLeyna Adkinson
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Posted By: S. Moore on June 30, 2023 Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path? What most people find surprising is I’m actually a publicist/PR manager by trade. I have a degree in Public Relations and got my start working PR for summer basketball games at Rucker Park in NYC and working red carpet events for BET’s award shows. However, I’ve always had a love of storytelling and culture which served as my north star. At the start of my career, I held a position in comms and marketing. In my position, I helped with long form writing like press releases and annual reports. In one instance, my boss took something I wrote in an annual report and made it a part of a marketing campaign. It was this role that showed me PR is the art of telling, where marketing is the art of creating connection between people and products through feeling. Plus, the idea that I could transform long form stories and press releases into short snappy campaign taglines blew my mind! I made the switch to marketing and never looked back. That was almost 15 years ago. Since then, I’ve been able to carve out an incredibly unique lane that allows me to translate my passion for marketing and culture into transformative marketing strategies. This helps brands foster deeper connections with diverse audiences, bolster brand engagement and sentiment, and drive revenue. Ultimately, this path led me to my current position as the Director of Brand Heat and Culture Marketing. When I went to college, I attended a Historically Black College or University. While I was always proud of accomplishment and what it meant to my family, HBCUs weren’t celebrated the way they are now. To some, it created a perception that I went to a college that wasn’t good enough to impact my life, my community or even my family. But that didn’t stop me from dreaming. Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive? Our diverse communities have an incredible buying power and for far too long brands continue to overlook the value of these customers. I have the opportunity to integrate brands in places and for audiences that are often forgotten. I’ve been blessed to be in a space that is so unique — it’s created a lot of firsts for brands, while leaving a trail of inspiration for future marketing creatives who will succeed me. Beyond creating, I am championing for diversity in underrepresented communities daily — long before it was part of popular culture or made headlines. Over the last 6 years, I’ve been tapped by brands to step into roles or build departments focused on this work that had yet to exist. Simply put, every role I’ve had in the past six years had not existed before. That was a disruption. For brands to see a need to challenge the status quo with inclusive strategies is a victory and a step in the right direction. The second layer to this, is doing the work! I’ve reimagined how brands think, execute, and create for diverse audiences through the lens of cultural nuance and language. I’m pushing teams to show up bigger, connect deeper and sharper about how we talk to our audiences and how we create to connect with them through brand values, platforms, and campaigns. If there’s a story to tell or white space to connect, I will find it and bring it to life boldly, authentically, and consistently. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that? I spent a large portion of my career planning events. One of my first events was a groundbreaking ceremony for Washington DC’s Marriott Marquis. It was the 5th one in the country at the time and I was responsible for building and managing the guest list — a key task in any event but one I had never done before. Instead of asking for help before I started, I created an invite list of over 1K guests. When it was done or at least I thought it was, I alphabetize the list. Only, I never highlighted the document before I alphabetized it! If you know anything about working in excel, highlighting the fields before you sort the data is a very key step. So guess what?! I had a guest list with first names alphabetized, mixed with completely different last names, different companies, different everything. The worst part about it is I didn’t realize the mix up until the list was sent to the Mayor’s office. The first lesson I learned was to use a list management platform (although this was before a lot of them existed) but the most important lesson I learned was, that it is ok to ask for help. My team and I would have saved so much time. Needless to say, I was embarrassed. Remember, asking for help is not a weakness, it’s a sign of strength. We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact? I’ve encountered some amazing people on my journey. They’ve taught me so much about the business, given me amazing opportunities, offered a safe space to ask questions, and to grow into a professional. Although there are too many to name, Chinyere Hubbard the Chief Marketing and Strategic Officer for Greater Washington Partnership, Michelle Rice the President for TV One, Rich Orosco the Chief Brand Officer and Tyrel Kirkham the Chief Marketing Officer for the Big 12 are a few who have played a pivotal role throughout my career. Each one of them met me at a different part of my journey and have always seen something in me that I never saw in myself. They gave me opportunities, pushed me to be better, called me out in areas where I needed to grow, and helped me celebrate my successes along the way. Most importantly, they’re still supporting me and encouraging me to this day. Funny story, I started a new job and I got a random email asking me to be on panel at an upcoming conference. I was so new to the role, I had no idea why or how my name was even suggested. Of course, it was one of the mentors I mentioned above. I think the call to action now is bigger than getting people to encourage me. They’ve taught me how to negotiate my salary, gave me my first promotion and raise, taught me how to sell big ideas, and even helped me nurse a broken heart after a failed engagement. I believe I have a responsibility now to do the same for others. I want to be available for others to connect, learn, and inspire them to be their best. If it all stops with me, then I’m not doing my part. I have an obligation to distribute my knowledge with everyone who seeks it. In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean? At a previous job, we created an internal speaker series called Disruptors. The purpose was to highlight creatives who were agents of change in their industry as a means to educate on the transformative power of inclusion. As we were developing names for the series, we spent a lot of time debating the name Disruptors. Our concern was whether we should add something good and light to ensure we conveyed a positive sentiment. The reality is there’s positives and negatives to everything. In Biz Stone’s “Things a Little Bird Told Me”, he shared how he wanted Twitter to be a space where like-minded people could come together. In his mind, he was thinking everything positive: hopes, dreams, stock tips, favorite music, favorite tv shows, etc. He had no idea it would also add space for like-minded people who also wanted to spew hate, racial slurs, bigotry and more. I think the same applies to the concept of disruption. It is my belief that disruption is a necessary and essential strategy when its mission is to help challenge the status quo to create a more equitable world. For example, the creation of the internet. This intangible tool literally transformed information sharing and the power of human connection — making everything basically accessible to everyone with a click of a button. Look at us now, we watch TV without TV boxes, play games with people across the world, attend college without ever physically being on college campus or in a lecture hall — all with the help of the internet. Game changing! Do you remember when connection was restricted to cell phones and information was restricted to Encyclopedias?! The creation of the Internet truly disrupted how we learn, work, and connect. And I think it helped make society a bit more equitable for everyone. I believe disruption can take a turn when the mission is no longer focused on being equitable. If all of sudden buildings no longer had ADA accessibility, this would create a disruption — an interruption to a standardized process put in place to make entering a building equitable. Disruption has an opportunity to create a ripple effect. That’s evident in the example of the internet. It’s up to us to determine which way that truly goes. Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? 1. Dream and keep dreaming. It’s all possible — everything you can see and even the things you can’t. When I went to college, I attended a Historically Black College or University. While I was always proud of accomplishment and what it meant to my family, HBCUs weren’t celebrated the way they are now. To some, it created a perception that I went to a college that wasn’t good enough to impact my life, my community or even my family. But that didn’t stop me from dreaming. At the time, I had no idea what was possible but I went for the biggest opportunities. I’ve worked the red carpet for BET because I loved award shows, did PR for Rucker Park summer basketball because I loved the legacy of streetball and I just kept dreaming. Growing up in a small town in New Jersey, my dream was always to work for a big brand, one where I didn’t have to explain who the company was or what the company did. I had no idea the NFL, Meta, and PUMA would also be a part of my journey. I have so much to be proud of and I’m still dreaming today. I can’t wait to see what’s next. 2. Adjust. Don’t assimilate. Recently I started working for a retail brand known for footwear — in particular their sneakers. While I loved sneaker culture, I never really wore sneakers. So being new to the job and the role, I jumped in headfirst. I started wearing only sneakers from this brand. It was like I was becoming someone else. And one day I was talking about how unhappy I was and one of my mentors said, “Did you adjust to this new role or did you assimilate?” They didn’t hire you to come in and be like everyone else. They hired you to be you. Wow. I assimilated. I came in and became what I “thought” everyone expected me to be versus staying true to myself. The lesson here is simple, when you’re not operating in alignment with your true self, you’ll always be unhappy. It was a beautiful reminder to not allow my identity to get so wrapped in anything or anyone that I lose sight of who I am. So yes, now I wear heels and sneakers too. I love it and I feel so good doing it my way. 3. Make time to live life in between the passion and mission of your career. Remember you are more than what you do professionally everyday. Hi, my name is DaLeyna and I am a recovering “work-aholic.” I missed family events like funerals and birthdays, I missed big moments with friends and I honestly lived a good portion of my career where I picked work over everything and everyone. In that, I missed out on unforgettable moments and memories with people that I love and value the most. The latter has left me asking this question more and more, what’s an incredible career if I have no one to share it with? The answer is simple, one word, lonely. So make space to LIVE. Step away from your computer or your office. Make memories. Live life over purpose. Love for your friends and family. Have fun. Journal. Play Music. Dance. Add some balance to your work-life. We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next? Haha — thank you! I hope I’m not. I’m grateful for everything I’ve been able to accomplish so far. I’m continually looking for new ways to grow in my new role and to grow my team. I also have a few projects I’m working on that I’m not at liberty to discuss but I will say writing a book is not as easy as it looks. In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? There’s an incredibly talented content producer and social influencer that I follow who coined a phrase I love so much, “Take Up Space.” I believe women disruptors do just that, they take up space. Their presence is always felt and their impact is seen. They challenge the status quo, they’re knowledgeable, they possess an uncanny ability to lead and influence from any position, and most importantly they’re unapologetically themselves. I believe all of that can be intimidating. I believe that society hasn’t fully caught up to this next generation of amazing female disruptors and the potential of our impact and that can be challenging. So, there’s still boundaries around what we can do and how far we can go. Given this, I do think some of the biggest challenges females disruptors today face are respect and having to forge a new path alone. For example, women can coach women’s college basketball but there’s an unwritten rule that to do so, you must dress a certain way. Just ask basketball coach Sydney Carter, who despite being qualified for the job, has been ridiculed not for her team’s ability to win on the court but for the clothes she wears. Additionally, Bozoma St. John, in the marketing landscape or Becky Hammond before she became head coach of the LV Aces. Sometimes, there’s caveats or restrictions we try to place on how good a woman can be or how we believe she’s supposed to do. And I say respect us and everything that comes with who we are. If you’re going to let us in the industry, open the door all the way and let us all the way in and let us truly take up space. Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us? Just one? Lol. Back in 2008/2009, I was introduced to the teachings of Wayne Dyer, a NYT best selling author and progressive thought leader in self development. I was so captivated by his talks and teachings that if he quoted another philosopher or author or poet, I’d go look them up and study their work as well. I have so many I want to share but the two Wayne Dyer talks that had the greatest impact on my life are, “How to Get What You Really Really Really Want” and “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem.” His teachings were so profound, I remember listening to them everyday. In one of them, he shares an example about an orange and how when you squeeze it, what comes out is orange juice. Understandable. Then he asks what comes out when people squeeze us? If it’s anger, stress, frustration or anything we don’t like, that’s what’s inside of us. But the most powerful part of that is if we don’t like it, we can change it. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-) What a big question! Wow, a movement? I don’t know if sparking a movement is in my calling but here’s what I can share. My dream after wanting to host my own TV show was to be a tour publicist. I wanted to travel the world connecting people to music because I recognized its power. A great song can take you up, take you down, bring back to your favorite childhood memories and help you create new ones. I felt by connecting people to music, I could help spread the joy I felt every time I listened to my favorite Usher song or [insert any 90s R&B music here]. As I’ve navigated my journey, I found that while I find unwavering joy in music, I found purpose in wanting to help people and I get to do that at the full intersection of culture. So music, arts, dance, fashion, sports, technology and more. This is all to say, it’s my hope that everyone finds what brings them joy. Use that joy to find your purpose. And from there, I hope a world full of purpose-driven people can create a world that is more diverse, more welcoming, more loving, more safe ,and more interconnected than ever before. Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life? In some circles, you’ll see the quote attributed to Nelson Mandela and other’s Marianne Williamson. I first heard it through, while watching Coach Carter which starred Samuel Jackson. And it reads: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to manifest God’s glory within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” I’ve struggled a lot with insecurity both personally and professionally and sometimes I can overthink myself out of a situation. I wonder if I’m doing too much or saying too much or feeling too much, being too emotional, asking for too much. However, when those feelings arise, I remember this quote. My playing small doesn’t serve the world or me. I’m reminded that my light in its fullness is ok and yours is too. How can our readers follow you online? You can follow me at @iamdaleyna on IG and Twitter. SOURCE If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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